Throne of Dusk
The Throne of Dusk is a small Fetchling kingdom that was founded thousands of years ago by the dynasty that still rules over it to this day: the ker'Moira. History When humans were first warned of the Starfall aeons ago, some attempted to seek refuge from the catastrophy by hiding into the Planes of Shadow. The plane was ill-suited for humans and their survival, many of them being little more than prey for what lurks in the darkness, but few communities managed to form within the hostile land. Some of them, however, had to strike rather dark deals to thrive and survive, and the Moira family of ancient sought refuge from one of the darkest deities: Zun-Kuthon. The dark deity promised protection for their community, under condition that they should forever serve him and be his pawns. The Moira accepted, and became on that day the ker'Moira. They have since ruled over their small portion of the Planes of Shadow unchallenged ever since. What first was a necessary evil soon became a tyranny: generations of inbreeding to 'keep the purity' of the ker'Moira caused them to embrace their destiny, and a reign of terror began. Twisted by the planes of Shadows, these humans became over time what would be known to those on the Prime Material as Fetchlings, a derogatory term for those who would 'fetch' dangerous materials from the Planes of Shadow. Though the Throne of Dusk does not speak for a majority of the people, their iron fist over their dominion has been undeniable and significant voice in Fetchling politics, despite other communities seeing them (rightfully) as zealous extremists. The Throne of Dusk's first edicts included a banning of all creatures of the Prime Material for fear of 'corrupting' the people under the throne, as well as an edict interdicting any travel to the Prime Material for fear of tainting themselves. These edicts are still harshly enforced today, with punishments including some of the most original and exotic tortures only Kuthonites with thousands of years of experience in the matter can think of. Though the Throne of Dusk claims sovereignty over a large dominion, it can seldom enforce its will on the Planes of Shadows beyond the Capital. Settlements are routinely attacked by what lurks in the dark, and what militias are mounted against these creatures rarely hold for more than a few decades before they are abandoned. Even the Capital, despite its many abjurations, guardians and protections is more or less in a constant state of siege, though what is an actual threat and what is the Monarchy trying to control its population is up to debate. The Monarchy of the Throne of Dusk has been inbreeding for millenias, and though no true physical defect has been noted, madness has been taking over the family more and more as time passed, to the point where ruling became nearly impossible. In the slums of the Capital, away from the eyes of the mad royal family, a resistance was formed. Settlers had came in contact with other Fetchling communities, who introduced them to other cults. When the Throne of Dusk discovered the news, it had all of the settlers involved executed. The few that escaped began spreading word of Desna, and how she would free them one day of their oppression. The group, known as the Torchbearer, are the only true opposition the Throne of Dusk has had in its long history, and yet it remains in the dark for fear of acting against the powerful family and its acolytes. That is not to say however that they are powerless. A first major success by the Torchbearers was struck nearly two hundred years ago, when the Queen of the era was convinced to allow the family to marry outside of its own bloodline by a lobby secretly held by the group. The decision was controversial, and often is blamed for the current rocky situation of the Throne of Dusk, which finds itself on the brink of a civil war as disaster after disaster seems to have struck the Royal family. Yet, they still have very powerful allies, and are still under oath to Zun-Kuthon. No one can tell what the future holds for this kingdom. Geography The few historians who are aware of this Kingdom believe that the Moira chose a place to settle that is analogous to an old settlement of one of the first Empires, but not even the writings and archives of the Throne of Dusk can confirm or deny this claim, and the situation is not helped by Zon-Kuthon's influence as well as the twisted nature of the Planes of Shadow. Though most of the territory seems to be featureless plains with pockets of 'civilization' and ruins left all over, the Capital is entranched within cliffs and mountains to help defend from invaders, not that any besides the creatures lurking in the plane already would dream of taking over this bleak territory. The primary source of water of the Capital are the melting snows of the mountains surrounding them, which provide a rare haven of agriculture within the Plane. Economy Despite being isolated, there is a vast, booming market in monster hunting, scavenging and mining for the Duskers. Though a licence is required to do either, and the regulations for the professions are tight, those who are able to obtain these licences often have some of the most liberties in Dusker society, if they can survive the dangers beyond the walls. Trade is otherwise limited, but other Fetchling communities are welcome within the city, and are the main provider of food for the Kingdom. Inhabitants A conservative society to say the least, unwilling to bargain with societies that postdate the Starfall for reasons of 'purity', the near entire population of the Kingdom are Fetchlings. Other Fetchlings from other communities are welcome to try to immigrate if they follow a thorough screening process, but leaving the community is another horse entirely, and rarely ever heard of. The Monarchy even rarely bothers chasing down those who flee, knowing that the monsters that lurk in the dark will often do their work for them. Religion The only cult allowed in the city is that of Zon-Kuthon, and is in fact one of its larger known cult. The ker'Moira enforces many edicts that are meant to empower the dark deity, and sacrifices are performed yearly in his name, with the future of the Kingdom read within the guts of those killed. Self-flagellation is also common and encouraged, but not mandatory. The Monarchy claims its right to rule from him, and they jealously guard their position, and only a member of the ker'Moira can act as the High Priest of the deity. One of the only ways for the average citizen of the Kingdom to rise in ranks is to become an Acolyte of Zun-Kuthon, so it is a very desired place. More recently, however, interaction with outsider Fetchlings have introduced a cult of Desna in the slums of the Capital and a few prominent priests have come through, allowing a secret network and cult known as the Torchbearers to come forward. The cult is entirely forbidden and its members routinely executed, but it still remains the largest oposition to the ker'Moira. Military Might is right in the city, and the Kingdom follows a feudal system in which the various nobles under them must raise and maintain levies for the constant defense of the Kingdom. However, there is no formal military structure, as the Kingdom has known no true enemies in its history besides creatures dwelling in the planes, and so powerful individuals, sometimes the Kings and Queens themselves, have been the main line of defense against threats and dangers. However, in times of dire need, conscription edicts are not unheard of. Magic Magic is tightly controlled within the Kingdom, and only nobles trusted by the ruling family may practice it, along with selected acolytes who may become Clerics of Zun-Kuthon. The ker'Moira themselves favor shadow magic, as it runs in their bloodline and they see it as a gift of their patron deity. There is, however, a small number of Desnan Clerics who operate in the slums in great secrecy. Oracles, if discovered, are tested for loyalty and their abilities. Most of them do not survive childhood. Category:Nations